Some more revisions in this chapter. Please enjoy and review.
Guarding Tsuna Revised
Chapter Four: The Nightmare
"Naito Longchamp wants you and will stop at nothing to get you Dame-Tsuna," Tsuna's tutor, who was still dressed as Elder Pao Pao, announced.
Tsuna blinked, his brain too overwhelmed to come up with a response for a good thirty seconds before… "EH? Longchamp-kun? Why?"
The other people present in the room mentally slapped their heads. The boy really could be an idiot at times…especially when it comes to other people's feelings for him.
"Pyon! Wake up and smell the hormones! I told you before didn't I? Everyone wants to bang the hell out of you. You're small, scrawny, naïve, and weak…but you're cute and way too kind and generous. Of course other people outside of your family are going to notice," Ken growled, his frustration preventing him from realizing he had just blurted out his thoughts.
The room grew eerily silent as its occupants stared at the blonde spiky-haired teen with fangs. He turned so red it was almost like he had come up with a new transformation into a strawberry. Mukuro chuckled at his follower's outburst. Ken always had difficulty keeping his emotions in check. Well, it was still quite endearing.
Tsuna broke the silence, "But…I really don't see myself that way…and it's still hard for me to believe that so many people like me. But it's not like Longchamp-kun to be so demanding or violent! I have to speak with him. I need to sort out this mess."
Reborn frowned at his student and shook his head, "Tsuna. I understand your need to pacify this situation in order to protect your family and that is honorable, but it would be a dumb move if we let you go face-to-face with him right now. There is more to the story that you have not heard yet…let me finish explaining before you go make rash decisions."
Tsuna's eyes widened before he nodded. Of course there was something deeper going on. Things are never simple when it comes to the mafia.
"As I am sure you have become aware of recently Tsuna, you are now beginning to feel a strong attraction to your guardians," Reborn began.
Tsuna blushed furiously and glanced down to the floor to avoid the intense gazes of his Guardians. Great, now they know I've been checking them out! Damn Reborn and his mind-reading!
"There is nothing to worry about though. This is just the Vongola Rings trying to balance out the connection between you and the Guardians. The Rings have realized the depth of their feelings for you and so they have awakened the emotions which have been lying dormant in your heart."
Tsuna gasped and held his Sky ring up. Just how much power does this thing have over my life?
"Hmm…so I was correct in my theory that the rings are now able to notify us whenever Tsunayoshi is in need?" Mukruo surmised.
Reborn nodded and cleared his throat, "Tsuna…before you start to freak out and blame the Rings for your confusion, let me tell you something. The rings are not creating those feelings out of thin air. Any attraction you have for your protectors is completely natural. It is coming from you. The strength has just been amplified enough for you to finally acknowledge it."
Tsuna sighed and put his head in his hands, fighting the urge to break down into hysterics, "Why is this happening? Why couldn't these rings just leave us alone? Even if these feelings were already in my heart, bringing them all to the surface at once has only made me even more confused. I love Kyoko-chan! And…I'm not gay!"
In his moment of distress, Tsuna had forgotten the presence of Sasagawa Ryohei, Kyoko's brother, "Sawada…you have feelings for Kyoko? Since when? How? Why?"
Tsuna raised his head from his hands and his wide honey eyes met with pained brown ones, "Onii-san…I am so sorry. I never meant to tell you this way…I've been in love with Kyoko-chan for so long I can't remember how or when it started. I'm sorry."
Ryohei exhaled a shaky breath and dropped his chin to his chest. He was the image of a broken man, and Tsuna's heart sank as he realized it was his fault…again.
"There is no use denying what you feel for us any longer Tsunayoshi. We care deeply for you and now we know you hold us close to your heart as well. Now that I know there is some hope for us after all, I will not hold back. One of us will be your soul mate and I am determined to make sure it is me," Mukuro declared, his tone resonating strength and passion.
Tsuna squeaked and jumped as the illusionist wrapped his arms around the smaller boy and nuzzled the side of his neck. Hibari's eyes narrowed and his aura darkened. Ryohei glared at the scene with a fire in his eyes Tsuna was sure had been extinguished.
"Release him now or you will suffer the consequences Rokudo Mukuro," the prefect's words stabbed the air like deadly sharp icicles.
Tsuna shivered as Mukuro's breath tickled his ear as he whispered, "Oya? Kyouya-kun seems a bit upset. Maybe we should take this somewhere private so that he doesn't have to see our display of love?"
"Let Juudaime go you bastard!" a sharp, familiar voice called out.
Tsuna's eyes widened and he pulled away from Mukuro's hold. He turned to face the door and was overjoyed to see his friend and self-proclaimed right hand man. The gray-haired bomber stomped over to his boss and enveloped him in a protective squeeze. Normally, Tsuna would be a bit annoyed and freaked out by this over-dramatic display of affection, but he found himself enjoying the feeling of utter security in his best friend's arms. Don't let me go Gokudera-kun. He smells so nice and our bodies are perfectly aligned. It's almost like we were meant to be.
"Kufufufu…it seems the weak storm has finally regained its strength. Tell me Gokudera Hayato-kun…does it bother you to know that your precious Juudaime has feelings for someone other than you? He does you know…have feelings for other people. In fact, he loves all of us," the Mist Guardian said almost carelessly, throwing a smirk in Gokudera's face.
Tsuna felt his friend stiffen and was released from the tight embrace. Gokudera stood protectively in front of the boy he loved and snarled at the smirking demon, "I don't care what you say you sadistic pineapple-bastard! Stay the hell away from Juudaime! Even if he does love us all, I will still protect him from freaks like you!"
Tsuna stared at the back of Gokudera's head, his mind spinning, before he softly spoke, "Gokudera-kun…thank you. I know I don't say it enough and I know I've never been fair to you. But I really am grateful for everything you have done for me. The thing is…Mukuro was right. I do have f-feelings for you. All of you."
Gokudera's eyes grew in shock and he spun around to face his boss, "What? Really? Juudaime…I…I've waited so long to hear you say that. But I didn't want to pressure you or rush you into anything. I am so honored you have chosen one as pathetic as me to have a place in your wonderful heart."
Tsuna yelped as Gokudera fell to his knees and bowed with tears streaming down his smiling face. The spiky-haired brunette smiled and awkwardly patted Gokudera's head. Even though the sight of his intelligent friend bowing before him had become a regular occurrence in his life, it was still quite disturbing.
"Hey Tsuna! This looks like a fun party!" Yamamoto's cheerful voice interrupted the sounds of Gokudera's joyful wailing.
Tsuna's face broke into a relieved smile at the sight of his tall baseball-playing friend, "Yamamoto! I'm so glad you're ok too!"
Yamamoto walked over and threw his arm, per usual, over the smaller boy's shoulder, unknowingly causing a ripple of anger throughout the room's other occupants. He asked, "So, what's wrong with Gokudera?"
Said tearful boy shot to his feet and glared contemptuously at the tall grinning boy, "Shut up you damn baseball idiot! Why do you always have to come in and ruin the moment? Stop showing off that goofy grin! And stop touching Juudaime! Just because he somehow has feelings for you too doesn't mean you can treat him so casually!"
Yamamoto raised an eyebrow and he looked down at Tsuna with a question in his warm brown eyes. Tsuna smiled shyly back at his Rain Guardian and nodded.
Yamamoto's grin turned into a bright smile and he leaned down to pull Tsuna into a gentle cuddle. Tsuna blushed and fought a sudden urge to faint. Yamamoto was so tall and strong and manly. He made Tsuna feel so dainty and almost…girly. When Yamamoto smiled, he felt his insides melt and his heart pounded wildly. He smells good too…like a fresh stream or a rainforest. It's almost like when he touches me I feel purified. I don't know why I never realized this before…I feel so special when I'm around all of them. I don't want these feelings to go away.
Gokudera sputtered obscenities at the baseball fanatic who just laughed merrily and slowly released Tsuna. Ken scoffed in annoyance and Chikusa sighed and stared out the window. Hibari observed with a deep scowl and a steely glare while Mukuro only had eyes for the cute Vongola. Ryohei stood apart from the group and his head had returned to his chest. He leaned against a wall and his shoulders were slumped in dejection. Although Reborn was amused by the interaction between Tsuna and his best friends, he frowned at the gloomy waves the normally cheerful and energetic Sun Guardian was producing. Something was seriously wrong with the boy.
"Gokudera-kun…Yamamoto…I'm so glad you're both ok now. I was really worried when you wouldn't wake up earlier," Tsuna said.
The temperature in the room plummeted immediately after his words as Hibari strode over to the trio and grabbed Tsuna's arm, shot his friends a threatening look, and dragged the poor boy out of the room. Gokudera and Yamamoto were about to rush after them when Reborn called for them to stop.
"Let them go. Tsuna will be fine…for now. There are other things we must discuss," Reborn stated calmly, eying the others in a way which clearly told them not to question him, "Ryohei…you need to tell us what has happened. You have been acting strangely since you yesterday."
The oddly quiet boxer lifted his gaze from the floor to scan the room. When he noticed Tsuna's absence, he sighed and pushed himself away from the wall. The scarred boy stared at Reborn and clenched his fists. The others in the room observed his strange behavior in silence.
"Elder Pao Pao…I had a dream last night. It was after you told us what was happening after Sawada was attacked. I've tried to stay calm and not let it show, especially in front of Sawada," he explained dimly.
Gokudera and Ken were both about to chastise him for acting this way just because of a bad dream, but they were cut off by Reborn, "I see. Tell us what happened in the dream."
Ryohei paled and Yamamoto could almost swear he saw Ryohei's eyes water as his senpai responded, "In the dream…Sawada was laughing with my sister and they were holding hands as they walked to school. They seemed so happy and as much as I love him, I knew I just wanted them to be happy so I kept my distance. But then, just as they got to the front gate…someone stepped out of the shadows. Even though he left the darkness, I still couldn't see his face. I got this feeling that something bad was going to happen and I tried to warn them, run to them, do something…anything…but I couldn't move or speak! And then…I heard a shot."
Everyone was tense and if they had been sitting, they would have been on the edge of their seats in anticipation. They waited anxiously for Ryohei to continue but were thrown for a loop when the strong boy suddenly collapsed to his hands and knees, his body trembling as he sobbed. A wave of horror hit them as they wondered what else Ryohei had dreamed that could tear him to pieces and leave him in this terrible state. Yamamoto frowned and slowly approached the distraught boxer. He got down on his knees beside his elder and rubbed the boy's back in soothing circles. Reborn's expression darkened and Mukuro's eyes narrowed. That was no ordinary dream.
Gokudera voiced what everyone was thinking, "So…what happened next?"
Ryohei took a deep breath and staggered to his feet, holding onto Yamamoto for support before he met everyone's gaze one by one and replied shakily, "It all happened so fast. I saw him fall to the ground and then Kyoko was screaming. I saw all of you come running to his side but it was too late. There was yelling and crying and Hibari went after the man who did it but he had disappeared. I wanted to comfort Kyoko but I still couldn't move. Suddenly there was a gap in the crowd around his body…and I could see him. There was so much blood. He had been shot right in the head. His eyes…those beautiful eyes…they were still open! And for some reason it was like he was just staring at me! I swear I could hear him asking me why in my head. He asked me why I didn't protect him. He told me it was my fault. He told me he thought I loved him. He told me…he told me…he said he hated me."
The silence was heavy. Gokudera knew there were tears trickling down his face but he didn't care. He felt cold, numb. It was almost as if it had already happened. Yamamoto's smile was gone and he had paled as well. Somehow he knew, this was not a game. Mukuro's face was blank, but his eyes were cloudy. He knew he would have to become Chrome soon but he was glad the girl was still sleeping. She would have been hysterical if she heard this. If he could barely contain himself from screaming, then he had no idea how the others were coping. The thought of losing Tsunayoshi…no, if he even entertained the thought he knew he would snap. Sanity was a difficult thing to hold on to.
Ken and Chikusa were tense as well. Ken bit his lip hard enough for blood to be released. Chikusa felt his heart clench in fear and his normal blank expression fell apart as he frowned. Even though they knew the future mafia leader would never feel that way for them, they still cared a great deal for him. After all, he had given them and Mukuro-san his warm smile. Their loyalties lied with Mukuro, and since he was devoted to Tsuna…then so were they. Just as they would die for Mukuro…they would give up everything they had to protect the little Vongola.
"Thank you for telling us Ryohei. I am truly sorry you had to relive that, but it is important for us to know what was troubling you. This dream is clearly not a normal nightmare. While it may not be a vision of the future…it is definitely a warning. I believe the Rings are trying to send you a message. We will have to wait and see if my guess is correct. If one of Tsuna's other guardians receives a dream either equal to or similar to this one…then we will know for sure. If something bad is coming, we need to be ready to protect Tsuna…at all costs," Reborn said.
The others, still deeply troubled, nodded solemnly. Now they were definitely not going to let Tsuna out of their sight…they would not let anything harm the beautiful boy who had claimed their hearts.
Meanwhile…outside of the school
Naito Longchamp had set his lips in a determined line. Pivoting, he faced his team and stared at them with a glint in his eyes, "Sawasa-chan is in trouble. He's my friend and I will do whatever it takes to protect him! So it is time to commence with the plan. Now we have even more reason to bring him home with us. We need to keep him safe!"
Mangusta nodded fiercely while the other two rolled their eyes and stayed quiet. Their boss could be such an idiot.
"Well said Longchamp-kun! I will help you make your dream come true!" Mangusta exclaimed with his fist lifted in excitement.
He pulled out his gun and was about to shoot Naito with a Desolation Bullet when the energetic boss of the Tomaso family stomped his foot and shook his head.
"This is not the time for that right now Mangusta! That bullet is not going to help keep Sawada-chan safe! Whoever this villain is…I have a feeling the bullet will have no affect on him. Now…it's time I get in contact with our mole. They are the key to our success in rescuing my beloved!"
Mangusta's shoulders slumped in disappointment. He really wanted to use the bullet but he would obey his leader. But he tilted his head to the side in curiosity, "Longchamp-kun…who is the mole and how will we get in touch with them?"
Naito grinned and flipped a peace sign of victory as he replied, "Well that's simple. The mole is...oh look! There they come!"
Mangusta turned quickly to look in the direction his boss was pointing. He could see the figure of a person approaching. He squinted his eyes in an attempt to discern the identity of the mystery informant. When the person was finally only about eight feet away, he gasped as he realized they were female! He shot a confused look to his boss who was smiling and humming a happy tune, before he returned to watching the girl approach. She finally got close enough for him to clearly take in her features. She was a petite girl with orange-blond hair. She was wearing the Namimori uniform and she oozed serenity and maturity as she walked.
The girl, who seemed somewhat familiar to Mangusta, stopped in front of Naito and gave him a small smile, "Hello Longchamp-kun! I am sorry it took me so long to leave class. I had to finish the assignment before I could ask to be excused."
Naito shook his head and returned the smile and he laughed, "You're such a good student! Don't worry about it. I'm already grateful to you for all of your help!"
She nodded and her smile became a bit strained, "Are you going to do it today?"
Naito raised an eyebrow in confusion before realization hit and he nodded, "Yep! I'm going to bring him home with me right now!"
The girl's smile evaporated and seriousness set into her face, "I see. Well, what can I do to help?"
Naito took a deep breath and exhaled noisily as he thought it over before he replied, "I hope you don't mind but I'd like you to be a decoy. I need you to put on a show of some sort to give us the opportunity to grab him and get some distance before his Guardians can interfere. We don't want another fierce battle. I really dislike violence but the need to take Sawada-chan has risen. Because I need to keep him safe. This has become a matter of life and death."
Her eyes widened in surprise before they lowered and became saddened, "I suppose this really is for the best then. I care for Tsuna-kun…and I really want him to be safe. But I know that everyone around him is in danger and after everything I've seen…I can't just stand by and watch people I care about get hurt."
Naito nodded, his grin gone, and he said seriously, "You are absolutely right. Please believe me when I say that you are doing what is best for everyone. One day, they will understand and they will thank us."
She smiled again but the tears in her eyes revealed her heartbreak, "Thank you Longchamp-kun. I'll go distract them now. Please hurry and take Tsuna-kun away as soon as you can."
She turned and quickly began to walk back to the school when Naito called out to her, making her pause, "Thank you so much Kyoko-chan!"
Kyoko did not turn to acknowledge his words nor did she reply. She simply continued to walk with her head down and tears pouring out of her shut eyes. She repeatedly told herself that she was doing the right thing, but she couldn't ignore the voice in her head screaming for her to stop before it was too late. I'm so sorry Tsuna-kun…but I can't see Onii-san get hurt anymore.